Viral
by PissyNovelist
Summary: "When hell is full, the dead will walk the Earth" A zombie virus breaks out through Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, leaving a select few to take shelter within Snape's quarters. People begin to die and turn, but our favorite pair tries to make the best of it all.
1. Initial Outbreak

**Horror is actually the genre I love, so I find it odd that this is my first horror fic! I've won contests and whatnot writing in this genre, so I'm fairly good at it XD**

"So, no one finds it one bit peculiar that the teachers sent us to our dorms and not allowing us out? We've been here for hours now!" Hermione slapped her thighs to emphasize her worry.

"It's probably just the dementors again, Hermione. You really shouldn't worry too much!" Harry patted his friends shoulder softly with an encouraging tone.

"I don't know Harry. I went to Hogsmeade a few days ago with Ginny. There was something off about it all. Not saying that you _should_ worry, 'Mione." Ron scratched his arm, with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh yeah," Ginny pulled her knees to her chest ", didn't some guy scratch you as you walked past him?"

Ron measly nodded, then shrugging as if it was no big deal. Hermione stuttered, unable to find words for the anger of not being told sooner. The girl quickly grabbed the red head's arm, looking at the mark that was left from the scratch.

"This looks infected, Ron. Go see the nurse or something about this…" Hermione pointed at the blisters and boils molding along the scratches. He pulled his hand away and rolled down his sleeve.

"Hey, it's that's the wizarding world for you! I mean, if anything bad is really happening, we always have our wands." Harry chuckled, throwing his hands up in the air for dramatic effect.

Hermione gripped the handle of her wand that was secured in her holster. The small weapon gave her hope for the possible danger ahead. She crossed her legs and stared at the fire. The four students were the only ones remaining in the main common room.

The crackling and popping of the fire calmed their nerves. Something about the sound was so... ordinary. The sound was innocent and reminded them of earlier years when there was no fear of dementors. Yet through the innocent and somewhat eerie silence, the group swore they heard cries and moans from the bedrooms not far from where they currently sat.

Yet as if on cue with chaos, Professor Snape ran into the dormitory with a pale expression.

"You four must come with me, now! I trust all of you have your wands?" the teens became faint hearing the panic within the normally leveled Professor.

There it was again... The groaning. The four revealed their wands, and then followed the rushing man who said an incoherent incantation that seemed to seal the common room off permanently from the rest of the castle. Hermione started to breathe harder, feeling sanity and rationality dwindling by each moment. She moved next to her Potions Master, finding comfort within his form.

All four looked at each other in true fear as they saw a very pale Professor McGonagall tugging a sickly Draco Malfoy and a bloody Luna Lovegood.

"Ma-magic doesn't r-really w-w-work on them, g-guys." Luna stared at her wand, her eyes overflowing with tears.

"Them?" Ron gasped with a voice crack. McGonagall continued to push her students down into the dungeons.

The smell of rotting flesh and blood rented the halls of the school, paired with groaning and screeching. Hermione was sure to stay close to Snape. After what seemed like an hour of running and stumbling, they came across Snape's quarters. Another mumbled incantation before the door swung open with a creaking noise. He looked straight at McGonagall, then pushing the students inside at the sound of growing moan's and screams. As the Potions Master slammed the door and locked it with a spell, Ginny had caught the slightest glimpse of what they were up against.

It was George Weasley, crawling down the stairs and moaning in pain.

"George!" Ginny screamed, immediately wishing she hadn't.

His white, vacant eyes met with his sisters. His hands and front side were doused in blood and chucks of what smelt like rotting meat filled the air. He dropped the hunk of flesh he currently held in his mouth with a growling noise. Stumbling as fast as he could, he flexed the muscles in his hands towards the young girl. But before any harm could be done, Snape had shut his door and locked it using another incoherent incantation.

"My brother…" Ginny whispered, deducing all the possible creatures she had ever encountered within her time of being a witch. No other monster compared to these abominations.

"Ms. Weasley, that thing outside was anything… but your brother." Snape groaned, placing his forehead against the stone wall.

"Professor," Hermione gripped the arm of the tall Potions Master tighter than before ", what are they?" Snape sat upon a chair within his own quarters, holding the bridge of his nose as he sighed.

"Take a seat," He motioned his hand as everyone choose different spots around his room ", it started in Hogsmeade last week. We're not exactly sure where this had manifested or who it was manifested by, but it's completely out of our control now." Snape stared at his wand that sat upon his lap, and his voice a mere whisper. The pounding at the door had gotten louder, and then stopped for a moment. But before they could take a breath, the mindless sounds had started again.

"What's out of your control?" Draco stepped in, worry plaguing his face.

"A virus." McGonagall stepped in with her softest voice. The students looked at her in disbelief. What sort of virus could create these types of creatures?

"This virus it seems to take the dead… then reanimates them. If one of them has physical contact with a person who is living… they become one of them. It's fatally contagious. What is the most terrifying about them is that magic does not work on them as well as we need it to. We can injure them, slow them down but… to be rid of them permanently? It has to be done the old fashion way."

"Blunt force trauma." McGonagall commented quickly.

"Necromancy? So… they're-" Hermione's voice caught in her throat, panic rushing over her. Her hands became sweaty and she started to shake violently. McGonagall wrapped her arms around her, laying her upon Snape's bed.

"Yes, Granger. In muggle terms," Snape paused for a moment to collect his thoughts ", we're dealing with the undead… zombies."

**This is really short, but I didn't want to do any more for this chapter ;D**

**Xoxo PN**


	2. Rising Panic

**I just want to take a few words out of this fic to thank the people who jumped on the bandwagon for this story! Within hours of it being released, my email that receives notifications only for people following my story and what not was booming. Nothing makes me want to write another chapter and update faster much like reviews and story following! As a gift, I'm releasing this chapter earlier than I had planned. I originally planned to release this in like… 3 days XD **

**So thank you all :) **

"Zombies?" Draco gawked. His eyebrow raised just enough to look pompus.

"Stupid pure bloods don't know anything about our world. Zombies are corpses that are brought back to life and find the irresistible urge to feed upon the flesh of the living." Hermione rolled her eyes and growled as if it was common knowledge.

"Well, why would they want to eat people?" Draco bobbed his head like an arrogant fool, raising his hands up in a 'so what' type fashion.

"There are different theories amongst the horror movie world for that. Zombies are a regular topic in muggle entertainment," Hermione straightened her posture ", but out of all the theories, my favorite is… hm…" The entire room waited patiently, watching Hermione flip through the cramped pages of her mind. She pranced through the halls her Memory Palace, peering through each well-organized room for the right information. She raised one finger in the air with a small smile.

"Oh, my favorite would have to be that the undead feed upon the living to feel alive. As if the person that once existed is still there, but is overtaken by the urge to feed. But some say that it's like drinking water for the living. You know, zombies have missing limbs and open wounds so they lose a lot of energy." Hermione chuckled slightly. She always knew her knowledge of horror films would come in handy someday, as all her stored away knowledge had proven over the years. Draco looked disgusted, but still as arrogant as ever.

"My favorite theory would have to be that human flesh tastes so much like any other meat in a common diet of the living that the taste is familiar to them." Snape interjected while flying under the radar. Hermione looked over her shoulder with a small smirk.

"Horror fans, Ms. Granger, are not hard to find among the Slytherin house. Especially those who are half blood, or muggle born. With your ability to be a walking encyclopedia on horror movies, perhaps you belong in Slytherin." Hermione and Snape shared a moment of implied laughter, until someone broke the silence.

"So, what do we do?" Harry asked, pacing across the floor. He took a spot next to Ginny upon the black leather loveseat everyone had suspected was in Snape's room. She fell into his arms knowing that no matter how strong of a witch she was, nothing could be done to stop the virus.

"We wait until we think it's died down and go out there with blunt objects… Weasley, stop that for we mustn't touch things that are not ours." Snape growled deep within his throat at the red head that was running his hands along his cauldron set and potions. Ron jumped then stepped away from the objects in question.

"How do you know that is exactly what the virus does?" Hermione perked up, finally able to speak.

"They bit him… right in front of me." Luna weeped, folding her head within her small, blood drenched hands.

"Who did they bite, Luna?" Harry hugged the blonde, who was crying harder by the moment.

"Neville. One of them bit him and ran off… he said he'd be alright, but a few seconds later he got really pale and started coughing up blood. I started taking him to the nurse's office, but then he collapsed. I bent down to see if he was alright…" Luna trailed off, all tears halting. Her eyes became void of all expression.

"Luna?" McGonagall bent forward with caution.

"He… he tried to take a bite out of me. I used the _Sectumsempra_ spell Harry tight me last year. It slowed him down, but it seemed as if it made him want to eat me more. I can still hear it… his bones were cracking and breaking. He didn't just jog to me… he… _sprinted_. Professor Snape found me after I had out run him."

"My bathroom is right through that door," Snape motioned softly ", they can smell the blood. I suggest you shower and give a good _Scourgify_ to your clothing Ms. Lovegood. As for the rest of you, it is of fairly good knowledge to know that a bite will turn someone faster appose to a scratch or mere grazing of the teeth. Also, no one touch anything but the object they're sitting on. I'll conjure up cots later, but for now, and I can truly not stress this enough, do not touch anything."

"Severus, please. You choose now to be as uptight as you could ever be? Cut everyone some slack for we are just as frightened as you." McGonagall rolled her eyes and crossed her arms at the man.

"Minerva, we are going to be in here for a very long time. Let's not get on each other's nerves… too quickly." She towered over her, but her eyes burned deeper holes than his ever could. Hermione and Harry rolled their eyes at the quibbling pair.

"I always thought they'd make a cute couple." Ron whispered into his friend's ears who held their mouths from power laughing.

"What about a potion? An antidote to reverse the virus?" Ginny asked, a gleam of hope residing within her eyes.

"I've been trying for weeks to brew an anti-" Snape's mouth curled into a sneer when he heard a scream form across the room.

"WEEKS? Weeks and NO ONE told us that there were cannibalistic corpses walking around Hogsmeade?" Draco screamed, pulling out his wand and pointing it at his house supervisor. An eyebrow raise and a smirk later, Draco dropped his wand upon the dungeon floor. The pounding became suddenly louder, incoherent growls and the sound of nails raking across stone from the other side of the door rented the room. Everyone held their breath for a moment.

"They know where there is sound and where there is light… there's food. We all have to be very careful." Hermione whispered, then placing a quick silencing charm around the room. After tapping the final wall, everyone sighed in relief. Yet Snape knew that Hermione was mentally drained, and the charm wouldn't hold for too long.

"Now look what you've done. I don't find it pleasant for hoards of zombies at a time trying to pound down my door." Snape pushed the Slytherin boy upon his desk chair, holding a finger of his lips as a polite way to tell him to shut up. Without anyone else taking notice, Luna proceeded to take Hermione into the bathroom with her. They shut the door and turned on the faucet.

"I really don't want to shower in a Professor's room." Luna mumbled, creating a grey cloth from her wand.

"I can understand. Luna, just give me the cloth," Hermione took the fabric and ran it under the water ", I… I'm so sorry this had happened to you, Luna. The entire problem with Neville… I wish this wasn't happening to you… or to any of us for that matter." Hermione tapped Luna's clothes with her wand, removing her pink sweater with a grey tank top for easier access to the blood drying upon her skin.

"His eyes… I've never seen something that terrifying before. I've never seen eyes so… _dead_. They were nothing like eyes of real dead people… there was no colour… or even a sign that there was life within them once before. They did nothing but sit in the sockets, Hermione." Luna could no longer cry, all she could remember was their eyes.

"At least you survived, Luna. You just have to remember that it wasn't Neville who was trying to eat you alive. Did you get bitten?"

"Neville didn't touch me. I wouldn't have come with Professor Snape if I had thought he had infected me. I've heard rumors about it, you know. The virus."

"I did to, but none of them were reliable. I have seen so many movies on it, but science proved that a corpse cannot be reanimated. I'm not sure how this happened, but we've really got to work through it."

They finished after Hermione cleaned her friends clothes and walked out of the bathroom. Snape and McGonagall were inspecting Harry together.

"Ah, perfect timing. We're going over each student for signs of scratches or bites. We just got finished Harry, so will one of you go next?" McGonagall patted the seat, and Luna volunteered. She thought it was best anyway after having firsthand experience with the undead.

"Is it okay if I lay down, Professor?" Hermione asked Snape softly, pointing to his bed. He merely nodded, not giving her any other sign that he was aware of her existence. She took that answer graciously with a yawn, and lay down upon the black velvet sea. She took another look at all her friends in the dim candle light. The Professors must have set them up to be less obvious of their location.

Hermione couldn't help but take note of how pale Ron was.

But perhaps it was just the lighting.

**I want to give the memory palace live credit to Thomas Harris who wrote the Hannibal Series. :) Read the series, and you'll get it XD**

**Xoxo PN**


	3. Emergency Attack

**:D Let's go**

Hermione Granger woke up from her slumber a few minutes ago, but she had yet to open her eyes. She was sensing what was going on around her. She felt heat coming from in front of her. She peered open one eye to see that Luna Lovegood had joined her upon Snape's bed. She thought she saw Draco behind her, but that was beside the point. It was dark; only one or two candles were still lit from earlier. As she was about to drift back to a restless sleep, her Professors began to converse.

"We should use the killing curse on him while he's still human. It's the most humane way for him and us." Snape whispered. Hermione could envision him pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I couldn't do it, Severus. He's one of mine." McGonagall tried to hide the sob within her speech, but failed. Hermione heard rustling of robes then her house supervisor's stifled sobs.

"_Wait… is he actually… hugging her?" _Hermione's face remained expressionless, but she was jumping like mad on the inside. She couldn't believe Snape had a soft spot.

"Minerva, please sit down and rest. I haven't seen you shut your eyes in days because of this virus." Snape grumbled, then more rustling of clothing. There was a faint squeak. The type of squeak a chair makes when it's sat upon. Then there was no more talking. Perhaps McGonagall feel asleep. Hermione took this time to yawn dramatically, and sit up carefully. She took note that Luna, Ginny, and Draco were also upon the bed. Harry was on the ground.

Snape was sitting at the foot, chin in his large hand.

"Professor?" She whispered through the silence. He turned his head slightly, raising his eyebrow.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione crawled so she was sitting closer to the man. SO close, that she could smell his musk cologne.

"The corner," Snape pointed at the boy who had a golden glow around him ", over there. I put a sealing charm on him. It won't last much longer though."

"He's infected, isn't he Professor? I saw the scratch in the common room before you came to get us." Hermione whispered to the air, a tear running down her cheek.

"Unfortunately, Ms. Granger. I'm… sorry. I knew you two were an item." Snape looked at her with a soft expression she had never seen before.

"I was going to break up with him tomorrow after dinner. I kind of feel bad for wanting to break up. For the past week I've done nothing but tell him I still care about him. Now he's going to die and I just feel bad." Hermione let more tears fall, furiously wiping them away. Snape pulled a handkerchief from his rob, handing it to her. She dabbed away her tears then help the cloth to her nose. Something about his scent calmed her.

"Yesterday is history, Ms. Granger. The past is the last thing you should be thinking about."

Suddenly, Ron began to cough. Snape held Hermione back, who wanted to run and comfort the dying boy. The golden glow began to fade around him, and Hermione started to panic. A few seconds later, Ron stopped breathing, slumped over his own knees and trickles of blood pouring from his mouth. Snape pulled out his wand, standing in front of the sleeping group.

"_Avada Kedavra_." Snape whispered, begging that he wasn't too late to use the spell. The blinding green light illuminated the room, still not waking anyone. All was calm in the room. Ron's dead, pale form didn't move or make a sound. Hermione sighed in relief, smiling for a moment.

Then Ron started to growl. His shaky stance was enough, shambling in jerked movements towards Snape. He bore his teeth, jaw cracking at the large biting motion. Snape looked around as he backed up, seeing nothing for him to work with. Hermione ran to the fireplace, grabbing the iron rod stood against it. She ran, pushing Snape aside. Hermione raised the rod above her head, lining it up for a side swing to Ron's temple. The un-dead's claws scratched the air in front of her, less than an inch from her white tee-shirt.

Hermione froze, unable to see the dead boy in front of her. She only saw a red headed boy who was her best friend from start to finish. She only saw the boy she had shared her first kiss with, the boy she went on countless dated with. Hermione didn't smell the quickly decaying flesh of the zombie, but only the smell of the wild flowers he had picked her every day.

Ron tackled her, the iron rod sliding out of her grasp. At Hermione's scream, the rest of the group awoke, cowering to the wall. McGonagall stood, looking towards Snape who was already gripping the rod within his hands.

"Shut your mouth so his blood doesn't get in your system." Snape called, swinging back. Hermione shut her mouth and eyes, turning her head to the side. She felt cold air touch her chest as Ron ripped off her shirt and toppled to the left of her. Snape used the sharper end of the rod to impale from the front to the back of Weasley's skull. Ron twitched and growled, weakly still trying to grab for Hermione until he finally stopped moving. She stood and took a few steps backwards, covering her chest.

"The one day I wear a plain white bra that's not cute." Hermione joked weakly through a shaky voice. She suddenly felt weak. She watched as the Potions Master removed his cloak and tossed it to her. She wrapped herself in the warm black fabric, sighing. Something about the long cloak that puddled around her feet made her feel safe and concealed.

"We need to put him in the hall. They'll smell him in here." Harry, who was holding Ginny, commented in a voice shakier than Hermione's.

"Would you like to volunteer to complete that, Potter?" Snape growled, removing the iron rod from Ron's face.

"I'll do it." McGonagall stood, using her wand to drag the corpse across the floor. She took a breath to collect her thoughts.

"NO! You can't just drop kick him out!" Ginny became hysteric, pushing her back against the door.

"Ginny stop that yelling, you filthy Weasley. You'll attract them." Draco hissed, pointing his wand at the crying girl. Harry pushed him forward and they exchanged threats. Snape, Luna, and Hermione had to use all their strength to pull Ginny away from the door. McGonagall opened it slowly. There wasn't a hoard of them directly at their door, but they plagued the hall outside of it. She silently slid Ron outside, only needing to shut the door to be home free.

"RON!" Ginny screamed, breaking free of her friend's grasp and running out the door.

"Ms. Weasley!" McGonagall cried, only attracting more of the dead. The woman couldn't risk trying to grab the girl, who was cupping the face of her dead brother. Hoards began to crowd the buffet, groaning with pleasure and hunger. She had to shut the door, a single tear shedding for the young Ginny Weasley. Harry, being at the unfortunate angle, caught the last glimpse of the undead mass pulling Ginny's arm out of its socket with a distinctive pop to devour. Everyone stood in horror and looked away from the door as Ginny pounded from the other side with her only remaining arm, screeching for someone to let her in. The growling and sound of ripping flesh and breaking bones over powered her cries for help. A pool of crimson blood began to seep from under the door.

Then there was a gut wrenching silence.

Harry collapsed to the floor, crying for his lost love. They left him to grieve in his way, as they did in their own.

"Can't we just use magic to get us outside of the castle?" Draco mumbled.

"Impossible. If we didn't put a stopper on that, student would be ditching classes left and right." Snape interjected, waving his wand, producing a pale of crackers.

"Is that really all we have left in the castle?" McGonagall cocked her head, taking a cracker for herself.

"I suppose when people were clearing out, they took everything. I'll brew some hunger potions later. I have an entire emergency store room through that door." Snape grumbled and pointed to the door on the floor. He must have built a cellar for such occasions.

The group devoured the crackers as if it was a 5 star feast. Nothing in their lives had ever tasted better. Snape lay upon his bed, stretching with a yawn.

"You're the only one who hasn't slept, Severus. Will you finally rest now?" McGonagall commented in a heartfelt tone.

"Sleep, yes. Rest… no." Snape stated, shutting his eyes. McGonagall returned to her chair, and Harry remained on the floor with Luna to comfort him. Draco swaggered over to the loveseat graciously. Hermione lay on the bed, far away from Professor Snape. She tightened the cloak that still hung upon her shoulders. They all slept soundly, mentally exhausted from the first days of the viral invasion.

Snape had awoken sometime through the night, with Hermione resting her head upon his shoulder. He went to move her, but kindly decided against. He merely ran his hand down her arm and placed it behind his head.

"_You're lucky you're sound asleep, Ms. Granger. Very lucky." _

**;D**

**xoxo PN**


	4. Tide Of Death

**Just another 'quick release' chapter to say I Love You to all my AWESOME readers :D. When I started this fic, I didn't think I'd get passed 10 reviews in total of all the chapters. I've been working on this since I posted chapter three, and as soon as I saw we hit 20, I typed furiously and edited everything to release this chapter ASAP for you all.**

**I really hope you all understand the amount of love I hold for each of you for sticking around in this tale of love and carnage. It may sound dramatic for saying I Love You over a fanfiction piece written by a sixteen year old aspiring author, but it's people like you that are helping me shape my future career, and I honestly cherish you all for that :3**

The remaining six awoke in Snape's chambers in a collective groan.

"_I was hoping it was all a drea-oh Merlin, my arms are wrapped around Professor Snape." _Hermione's eyes bugged out of her head at her sleeping Professor. One of her arms was wedged in between his back and the bed. She manipulated it lightly, having no luck on loosening her appendage. She rolled her eyes, laying her head upon the warm spot of his shoulder. He moved, wrapping his arms around her s if she was a life size teddy bear. Hermione couldn't understand whether she was uncomfortable or not.

Not wanting to have the angry lash of Snape when he awoke from his slumber, she wiggled out of her grasped, not taking notice of the way his faced turned into a sneer. He tossed and turned, finally opening his eyes reluctantly, to the dim candle light.

"Morning… uhm, I think it's morning." Hermione whispered, standing to grab her wand. She drew a circle around the stone door, creating a one way window. The halls were crowded with the dead, the stench leaking into the room.

"Is it dead out there?" Snape yawned, fixing his robes.

"Uhm, so to speak." Hermione chuckled with a shrug, fixing the robe she hadn't removed. She jumped as Snape let out a genuine laugh.

"Want me to fix your shirt or would you find it adequate to continue wearing my cloak?" Snape raised an eyebrow with his trademark smirk.

"There's clearly a right and wrong answer here." Snape smiled, walking towards him. He shrugged and waved his hand.

"No, the robes don't look so bad on you. You should be a teacher here… if we ever solve this zombie situation." He stumbled, breaking apart his syllables through the last part of his statement. Hermione smiled, nodding graciously.

The rest of the group began to really wake up, yawning and standing. Harry's eyes were red from crying through his sleep. Hermione surrounded him in an embrace, letting him crumble under his mental weight. Draco awoke in a sudden jolt, knocking over Snape's bedside lamp. It shattered on impact, the sounds echoing through the halls.

"Everyone look alive…" McGonagall pointed at the door that was rattling and shaking. Hermione threw Snape's cloak upon his bed, running to the door and pushing with all her weight. Luna, Harry, and Draco followed immediately, struggling to stop the door from shaking. Snape stood behind Hermione, placing his hand just above hers upon the door, pushing. McGonagall, being the oldest, did her best, but was of no help to the younger people of the group.

The door began to crack open, blueish green hands sliding through the cracked door. The door opened wider, hands grabbing the first living thing they could grab; Harry Potter.

Luna tried to pull him out of the doorway, but the zombie form of Neville Longbottom was fast to work. He ripped open Harry's sweater, tie, shirt, and chest. Draco fell back, holding his hands over his mouth. McGonagall ran forward, attempting to push the hands away, but Harry pushed her back. He knew he was gone as soon as Neville placed his jagged nails upon his skin. Harry's mouth opened, as if to speak, but he screamed instead as the hoard pulled out organ by precious organ from his under ribcage. Pieces of liver and kidney fell, spewing blood across the floor. A zombie managed to pierce through one of his eye sockets, ripping the green pool away from him. Snape cringed; the only ruminant of Lily Evan's dying before him. He looked down, accidently taking in a waft of Hermione's hair that smelt of cherries and raw silk. The group finally pushed the doors shut, and Harry slumped against the wall into a sitting position.

"K-k… kill meeeh, Hermione. I… I will na beco… one ohg then…" Harry, barely alive, amazed the entire room by finishing his statement with that much coherency. He coughed, pieces of what looked like his stomach falling into his hand. Hermione held his torn face with her smile on wide. She stroked his hair, damped from sweat and brain matter. Her heart sank as he smiled back at her, mustering all the strength he could to hold his best friend's hand.

"You've become such a brave man, Harry. Greeting death like an old friend… you ready?" She grabbed the iron rod, placing it against his temple. He nodded, closing his eye. Hermione swung up, taking in a breath.

"You'll always be my best friend, Harry Potter." Hermione gasped, swinging into his temple. She shut her mouth tight as his tainted blood splattered into her face. For good measure, she jammed the rod into his empty eye socket, puncturing the brain. McGonagall waited a few seconds as Hermione removed the broken glasses from Harry's face and placed them on the side table. She then silently removed the body into the hallway.

"I'm desperately sick of watching my friends die." Hermione crumbled, falling to her knees. Snape, once again, placed his cloak she left upon his bed over her shoulders. Hermione nearly forgotten she was half naked in the horrified rush of it all. She turned to her group of friends, who all crowded her in a hug, even Draco. They all sat, breathing until they were all calm. Snape took the handkerchief Hermione was using earlier, wiping of the blood drop for drop of her pale and flushed face. He then stood, walking over to his cauldron, silently starting the hunger potion he mentioned earlier.

"I know, my dear. He was like my own son." McGonagall held Hermione tight as they sat upon the bed.

"I can't do this anymore." Draco stated, no expression about him.

"It's been one day, and we've all suffered Draco Malfoy. We've all lost friends, and we've all watched them die. Either grow a pair, or try and run. I dare you to go into that hallway if you can't stand it in a safe place!" Luna stomped her foot and crossed her arms. Draco stared at the small girl who was huffing for breath, a scowl on his face. He stood, pacing around the room.

"Mr. Malfoy, please sit down. It has only been one day. We can survive this if we wait it out. Please be rational, my boy." McGonagall reasoned, placing her hand upon the boys shoulder. Draco nodded, sitting on the loveseat. Draco screamed, whipping out his wand and pointing it at his head.

"_Aveda Kedavra!" _Draco toppled upon the couch as Snape was walking up the steps.

"Another causality? How the hell-" Snape was interrupted by a fuming Luna Lovegood.

"He committed suicide, that cowardly bastard!"

"I have cried over Ron, and I will cry over Harry. But that useless prick deserves no tears." Hermione scowled, turning her back to the blonde corpse.

"On the only plus side, he wasn't infected, so he will not turn into a zombie." McGonagall shrugged, sounding the most convincing out of the bunch who tried to care for Draco's death. Hermione took pleasure of throwing his body into the hallway, feeding it to the dead.

The rest of their day seemed abnormally well for their predicament. Luna had conjured up some cards, and the three girls played while Snape brewed the potions to subside their hunger. Hermione was back to smiling that genuine smile she sported so well.

"Gin!" McGonagall placed her hand upon the bedspread.

"You are too good at this game!" Hermione laughed, still sporting the black cloak. Snape then placed the tray of four potions. The thick blue substance caused a weird look to subside upon the student's features.

"It's going to taste like whatever you're craving most, girls. Don't worry." McGonagall smirked, taking the shot glass into her hands. Luna and Hermione shrugged, taking the glass into her hands. They all clinked together, taking the shot.

"Mmm, carrots!" Luna laughed, looking at her empty glass and rubbing her full feeling tummy.

"I always taste chocolate, but it's so bad for me!" McGonagall smiled, placing the glass down.

"Cherries!" Snape and Hermione exclaimed at the same time, then laughing.

"Fresh cherries are my favorite!" Hermione touched her chest with a smile.

"They're a guilty pleasure of mine." Snape admitted with a smirk.

They all relaxed, feeling full and rested. The remaining four all talked about the times before the outbreak. The days of studying and dances. Luna talked about the fun parties the Ravenclaw house had, and how they would read for hours and hours. Hermione smiled at the thought of a Ravenclaw party, and admitted she always wished she would be invited to one. Snape talked about his early days of teaching, and McGonagall of the time they had went out on a date. They all laughed and smiled, feeling no regret of anything that had been done in the past. Hermione, in a fit of laughter, let her head fall against Luna's lightly.

Hermione had stopped laughing.

"Luna," Hermione placed the back of her hand against the pale girl's forehead ", you're running hot."

**OwO**

**xoxo PN**


	5. Humanity Is Falling

**And off we go.**

Luna looked over her body, not finding a scratch. She lifted every sleeve and pant leg for evidence of infection, coming across nothing apparent. Hermione looked closer for the inspection, seeing a speck of red upon her pale lips. Hermione held a hand over her own heart, looking away from the blonde.

"You ingested some of Ron or Harry's blood." Hermione held her friend tight, crying once more.

"Please don't cry." Luna smiled, widening her eyes. Hermione gawked, confused. Luna's voice was as soft as ever, cutting through the living nightmare.

"Why, Luna?" Hermione smiled halfheartedly, awaiting Luna's sure to be adorable answer.

"I want to see what it's like on the other side. I'm sure brains don't taste so bad once you turn over. If you find an antidote, please come find me and reverse what's been done. I'll tell you what it was like, okay? Just don't shed any tears over me." Luna hugged McGonagall tightly and shook hands with Snape. Luna stood at the door with her hands folded in front. She hummed a familiar tune, bobbing her head back and forth.

"If we ever make it out, I'm going to tell all the other survivors the story of the Ravenclaw girl who faced the other side with no fear, but curiosity." Luna looked over her shoulder with a smile.

"Tell us when you feel like you're about to collapse. We will turn the door into a portal and you may walk through. Once you collapse dead from infection, they won't want to touch you. You'll turn and avoid beating your brain in if we try to escape." Snape cringed at the last part. He had spent more than thirty-six hours with the girl who was awaiting the 'dead style', and she had grown upon him.

"Much appreciated, Professor. Let's just play the waiting game." Luna curtsied, a huge smile dancing upon her lips. Luna went through the stages; loss of colour, feeling faint, and then collapsing. Hermione waved her wand, quietly placing the turning Luna through the portal they made through the door.

Hermione watched a shaky Luna Lovegood stand in her reborn form. She stumbled off into the castle, in search of meat. Hermione closed the portal.

"She was an extraordinary girl." Snape smiled, picking up the cards. McGonagall nodded in agreement.

"The zombies are lucky to have her. I'm just glad I didn't have to kill another loved one. I hope she's happy over there." Hermione sat, picking up her hand.

The unusually calm day continued. They played cards and read a few books together. McGonagall retired for the night, sleeping upon the loveseat. Snape and Hermione lay upon the bed, talking at a mere whisper of past days.

"I remember when you were eleven. Remember that first day of our class, when I told you to put your hand down and said you were a silly girl," Hermione nodded with a smirk ", yeah well... I was really thinking what a smart and daring witch you were, even at that age. You've grown insanely, Hermione Granger."

Her eyes widened and jaw dropped. Had he really called her by her _first_ name? These passing hours have kept Hermione growing curious and more curious.

"I've seen you in your bra, and gave you my cloak like a common teenage letterman's jacket. We're there. We've reached that point." He pushed his hair out of his onyx eyes, yawning slightly.

"I suppose so... S-Severus." His named felt foreign upon her tongue. He nodded approvingly, rolling his head to stretch his neck.

"You've grown into an amazing, beautiful young witch." He mumbled, propping his head up against his hand.

Hermione's breath caught within her throat. Something had enchanted her in that moment, a pool of fire pitted in her stomach and her hands itched with need to touch his hand. She coughed, turning her head to the side. Her mind went through her options of things to say, racing as to not keep him waiting.

"I think we've been down here too long. You're not usually this kind to me." Hermione stared at the ceiling, a smile upon her eyes.

"Perhaps we have," Snape coughed, shaking his head slightly ", do you think we should make a run for it?"

"No… it's far too crowded. We'd be a walking 'all you can eat' buffet. We need a better plan. One that involves some intense firearms, or some intense strategy." Hermione bit her fingernails, brain fuming from her train of thought blasting at the speed of sound. Hermione stretched, and then wrinkled her nose.

"Can I use your shower?" Hermione whispered, standing and walking to the bathroom.

"By all means, Hermione." He waved his hand, standing to cover McGonagall with a blanket, them to remove his shoes.

She shut the door, starting the stream of hot water and stripping off her clothes. She sat on the tub floor, basking in the heat of the fog. She washed her hair with one of the products amongst Snape's large array of hair products. She dried her hair with a flick of her wand, tying it in a lose bun near the top of her head. Her jeans and bra suddenly seemed undesirable to put back on. Hermione tapped her foot, trying to solve her predicament. Before she could think any further, a pair of white sweatpants and a white tank top apperated in front of her, with a note sitting on top. Hermione pinched the note, the lovely cursive lettering filling her eyes.

"_Used magic to grab these from your room so you'd be more comfortable. Severus."_

Hermione smiled, sliding on the cotton fabric slowly. She stretched, admiring herself in the mirror. She looked insanely normal, just a sliver of tummy showing. She walked out, falling into a fit of giggles at the sight of Severus Snape with bushy hair and wearing black sweatpants and a black wife beater. His toned arms were pulling the velvet covers off the bed top. He slid under, covering the lower half of his body. She jutted out her hip leaning against the wall. Severus raised an eyebrow with a shrug.

Hermione didn't get the hint.

He patted the mattress next to him, lifting the covers for her, just for the good measure. She walked over slowly, lying next to him. The pounding on the door started up again, making her nervous. He waved his wand at the door, sealing it tighter than before, than opened his arms. She stared, unsure of what he was exactly offering.

"Come on, my arms are getting tired." He grumbled grumpily, rolling his eyes. She cuddled closer, and shut her eyes. He held her tight, protecting her just in case any of the dead managed to slip in.

**:D**

**xoxoPN**


	6. Irreversible Carnage

**Sorry for the wait, guys! :) This always happens half way through a fic. For me, when I brainstorm and write everything down on paper before typing when I come up with a story, I think of an awesome opening, and an awesome ending.**

**It's everything in between that's the fun part! XD**

Hermione yawned, letting her eyes flutter open. Brown met onyx, sparkling the darkness. All the candles had been put out, for maximum comfort.

Severus exhaled silently, sure not to give away their hiding spot. Hermione barely felt the air from his lips upon her skin. He flicked some stray, greasy hair behind his ear and then let the pale appendage fall at his side.

"Hey." She smiled up at him, voice at a volume no louder than a breath.

"You tossed and turned last night. Nightmares? I would understand if they are. You've seen four friends turn over and watched one acquaintance commit suicide." he retorted, something that reflected worry pierced his usually even tone.

"It was of Ron," Hermione sighed as she shut her eyes again ", and he was so angry… and hungry. You know how it's said you're never supposed to die in your own dreams?" Hermione became overly frightened, anxiety washing over her.

"He got you, I suppose from your tone." Hermione merely nodded, laying on her back.

"We need to make a game plan out of here. If we can get to the castle grounds and we call a couple of brooms, we can fly somewhere with electricity… somewhere with television airwaves where we can find a safe zone. If Hogwarts is the only place that the infection is, then we can work with the Ministry on clearing it out later." Hermione rested her back against the black detailed headboard, lined with silver.

"If I do recall, Severus was hopeless on a broom." McGonagall groaned with a smile. She stretched with a yawn, sitting up on the black leather loveseat.

"As unfortunate as it is, I am hopeless. I never learned how to fly a broom for I was far too gangly for the sport." Severus ruffled his hair, a look of distain upon him.

"Then you'll fly on either mine or Professor McGonagall's. Now, let's make a plan. Once we hit the grass, we've reached the easy part," Hermione stood and paced ", it's getting out I'm worried for. Let's brainstorm! I say we use brute force. We'll find anything long and blunt. I mean, we all have a pretty good swing and aim. They aren't too fast either."

"But there are hundreds of them. If they come from behind, we're done for. We could, however, blend in. If we leave casually and moan and groan like them, walk like them… We might slip under the radar." McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

"It's a great idea, but walking that slow form here to outside might take an hour. I don't think I could last that long. Plus, they might smell the living on us." Severus interjected, rapping his fingers against his cheek.

"Potions…" Hermione mumbled, wrapping her fingers around the rim of Severus' large, worn cauldron that sat in the corner of his room.

"What's that, Hermione?" McGonagall inquired.

"Magic doesn't work on them, right? Magic from a wizarding _wand _doesn't work on them. But potions, on the other hand…" Hermione smiled wide, running down into Severus' stores. She came back, jars in hand. Hermione placed each ingredient upon the table with care, running her finger down the glass as she did so.

"Now, I was never good at this potion, but it must be done." Hermione buckled down, opening jars and laying out a neat station. She ran to the bookshelf, picking up a new copy of "_Advance Potions' _and ran back to her workstation. Hermione thumbed the pages, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth. She flicked the page, clearly have found what she was looking for.

"If you're not so good at it, let me-"

"Severus, you're talking to Hermione Granger. Just… let her work." McGonagall tapped the shoulder of her colleague and then went off to raid his bookshelf for some sort of literature and have a shower.

Severus shifted his position, trying to see her ingredients to make out what potion she was making.

Hermione pinned her hair back tighter, pouring the liquefied Moondew flower gently into the cauldron. She carefully pinched the Asphodel powder, swirling her hand in the air for even distribution into her mixture. Hermione picked up the Valerian flower, smelling the blue petals with a gentle inhale. She cut across the roots, setting the flower portion aside for herself. Severus watched as she diced the root, and then slid it into the potion. He hid a laugh as she picked up the half sloth brain in front of her with only her thumb and forefinger. Despite her disgust, she sliced with as much care as someone who was blowing glass. She performed the _Augamenti _charm into an empty bowl beside her and washed herself of any brain matter that clung beneath her nails. Satisfied with her hygiene, she grabbed the Wormwood root, cutting off a slice and dropping it into the potion with a plop.

"And now the word for last." Hermione groaned, grabbed twelve Sopophorous beans from a large jar. She took the knife, anticipating the battle with the one inch size bean. The bean jumped and twitched with each attempted slice. She growled, curling her back lower. She tried cutting softly and tried stabbing. But there was no way on Earth that she was going to succeed.

"Here," Severus came up behind her as he covered her hands with his own ", crush. Don't cut it. Even if you manage to cut it, crushing it releases the juices better." He manipulated the younger girl's hands to crush the small bean, and then take it within her hand. She squeezed the red juice into the pot and rubbed the skin together to flake it. Severus smiled, now knowing exactly what his student was onto. He lingered for a moment, holding her hands within his own as he smelt her hair inconspicuously. She leaned back into him, and Severus backed off immediately. He was sure she hadn't wanted him to stand there any longer. Hermione looked at him with her big brown eyes watering, but then she turned back to her potion before saying anything.

"Also," Severus intervened before any further brewing commenced ", you need thirteen of these beans. Remember to stir seven times counterclockwise, then one time clockwise. It makes the potion deadlier." He plucked one more bean from the jar and placed it in front of her. Nonchalantly, she began cleaning up her work station. Hermione stared at the back of his head as he descended into the cellar. She pursed her lips and then went back to brewing. After following her professor's instructions, she completed her potion. Severus casually dropped a leaf into the mix, and watched as the flames engulfed it.

"It's perfect… I've never been able to make that potion. I remember trying in my sixth year. Total disaster!" Hermione laughed grabbing her wand. She started to charm her own wand, and one third of the potion depleted.

"What did you just do?" Severus leaned over, running a hand through his hair.

"Whenever I say 'Exhalomortem', my wand will expel the Living Death potion. If this works as we desperately need it to, it will knock the dead over for at least five minutes. That will give us more than enough time to make a break for it. Say this," Hermione pointed to the incantation she wrote down ", and your wand will do the same. I'll get McGonagall to do it once she's out of the shower."

Hermione created the portal in the door, pushing the tip of her wand out and casting the Living Death spell. The zombie in her line of sight, as well as several others who got backsplash from the small amount of potion, toppled over in a twitching motion. They lay there for approximately ten minutes, to Hermione's watch. She watched as the zombies stood, quickly decomposing where she had hit them. Within minutes, the dead had fallen once more, no longer moving.

"Hermione," Severus grasped her shoulders ", you're a genius! This is our one way ticket out of here!" He lifted her off the ground, hugging her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. The bathroom door clasp opened, to which Severus dropped Hermione to the floor.

"That's okay. Just my tailbone. By the way," she pointed at his head ", you need to shower. Your hair is super greasy." McGonagall strode from the bathroom, shining with cleanliness. He nodded, quickly closing the bathroom door. He heard Hermione explain the Living Death incantation, and McGonagall exclaim in happiness. She clearly thought the idea was as genius as he.

Severus looked at himself in the mirror. The bags had further sagged beneath his empty eyes and his hair had grown matted and tangled.

"She's nineteen. Hermione Granger is nineteen back for a victory lap at Hogwarts. Nineteen, Severus… nineteen. You have higher morals than a nineteen year old who is… smart and sweet and… actually _kind_ to me." Severus spoke softly, as if trying to convince himself of his own words. He showered quickly, finding himself wanting to be around his fellow teacher and the young girl. He walked out of the bathroom, ahir still wet and completely tangled. He grabbed his wand, read to dry it.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Hermione looked horrified, ripping the wand from his hand.

"D… drying my hair?"

"You haven't brushed it. Do you ever brush your hair before drying?"

"No, I suppose I don-"

"Really? Ohhhh! That's why it always looks like that! Sit down, I'll brush it." Hermione grabbed Severus' unused hairbrush from his bedside table that she had used last night. He sat on the floor, in front of her knees. She gently took each patch of hair, brushing each spot thirteen times. Every time she put a layer down, a waft of Severus' shampoo filled her nostrils. Hermione shivered each time, in taking the smell of the ocean and blue skies. She tapped her wand, drying his hair in a second flat. He turned to her as she tousled the new sheen style softly with a smile.

"So, when do we leave?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Hermione, silently asking a million questions not exactly pertaining to the one she just asked. Hermione stood, pointing her wand at the bed. Clothes and supplies appeared from thin air, as well as her charmed beaded bag that fit in the palm of her hand.

"Everyone apperate what they need and I'll put it in my bag. We're all well rested, we've all got the Living Death potion in our wands, and we're all very ready to get out of here. Once we get on out wands, we can decide where to go. We'll grab a daily profit from Hogsmeade, if anything new has been released, and work of that. Okay?" Hermione nodded, beginning to fold clothes and shove things in her bag. An array of books, clothes, and other things were placed in front of her. She finished putting the last of the load into her bag which was still as small as ever.

Hermione had changed into a better broom flying outfit. Jean shorts, the white tank top she wore the night before, and a warm sweater she had borrowed from Harry but never gave back. Severus' had yet to put on his cloak, seeing a disadvantage while riding, and McGonagall changed her clothes, but they were still the same colour dress and cloak. They stood before the stone door and all its glory, creating the portal for a final time. They held their wands ahead of them, taking a collective breath.

"Ready?" Hermione gulped, blinking as hard as she could.

Severus took Hermione's hand into his own, taking the step into the corridor.

**I came up with Exhalomortem all by myself :D**

**Using google translate :D**

**It ROUGHLY means to Exhale Death…**

**xoxoPN**


	7. Only Shadows of Hope Remain

**Short chapter, sorry guys! We are coming close to the end, so I'm trying to space out the good stuff ;D**

**Just a filler chapter XD Nothing interesting, but it's a good one… I suppose :3**

**ANNNND…. Thanks for getting the reviews up to 40 :) Thanks to all you religious reviewers and all those one timers!**

The creeping barrage snuck past the walking dead in a silent rush, the smell of decay renting the air. Hermione looked away from the dead forms of her former classmates, stepping along the stone walls a close as she could. Hermione held Severus' pinky within her own loosely, while McGonagall followed the interlocking pair close behind.

Severus led the girls up the first stairs, from the dungeon floor he lived on. Hermione could already feel the radiation from the sun. The taste of freedom... mere inches from the lips of the three, who were parched from days of suffering and death they had endured.

They held their wands at fight level, ready to hit any undead suspecting the living sneaking within their domain. The darkness of the underground started to fade as the morning spring light filled the final three's insides. Rays of shimmering yellow beamed from the cracked walls, giving hope for a brighter day. The amount of zombies per hoard grew as they went up the staircases, blocking the shining light.

The dead fell in a screeching panic with each shift of the moving stairs, a crack echoing from the bottom. Hermione could only imagine the way they twitched and hungered for flesh, being immortal to falls and broken bones. They reached the doors outside the great hall, breathing in relief. The halls were clear of any schools of dead, the eerie silence surrounding them all. Huffing for air after their rushed daze, Severus cleared his throat with a soft growl which attracted the dead in uncountable numbers. Hoard upon hoard flowed from every door and alcove, growling with an insatiable hunger. They pawed at the air, eyes wide and set on the delicious flesh in front of them.

"You're totally kidding me. Exhalomortem!" Hermione lunged forward, Living Death spewing from her wand at the dead forms, who crumbled and burned to pieces. They started casting the spell wildly, running through the halls. Severus heard a pained groan from behind as they finally cleared the zombie hoard and into the corridor leading to the main yard. Hermione turned to find McGonagall clutching her chest, blood squirting between her fingertips. Hermione took her by her shoulders, taking her to her knees in a soft yet swift motion. Severus followed close behind, taking one of the fellow Professor's hands. She smiled softly, even though her pending demise was drawing near. McGonagall shook her head, removing her hat with the jumping feathers and handing it to Hermione.

"No... We can make a remedy. Come on, you can make it." Hermione grabbed her face, fake hope gleaming in her eyes. McGonagall took her hand softly within her own.

"Save yourself… I'll hold them back. Now go." Hermione took her hat and placed it in her bag. Hermione and Severus chanted, pointing their wands at McGonagall's.

"That gives half of each of our Living Death potion. Take as many as you can, and go down swinging. Good luck, Professor." Severus helped her up and Hermione spoke softly.

"Minerva is just fine, my dear… considering the circumstances." McGonagall held her wound, walking back into the dead strewn walls and the echo of their created spell bouncing through the corridor. Hermione and Severus ran, shouting the Living Dead charm every few minutes to blast the dead out of their way. The sun got brighter and brighter, until it touched their pale faces. The warmth filled their minds with happiness and hope for the future.

"The sun…" Hermione basked in the glow of the zombie free main yard. She fell to her knees, running her hand across the dew drenched blue grass.

"I've never been so happy for an ordinary miracle like the sun rising." Severus blinked softly, the sun scorching their eyes.

"Accio broom." Hermione held her wand to the blue sky, placing it in her thigh holster. She caught the handle, jumping on it. They flew high into the blue sky, zooming over the school grounds.

Patches of blood and frenzied zombies were still visible from the sky. The pair flew above the water, hair blowing every which way as they headed for England.

**See you all sooner than you think ;)**

**xoxoPN**


	8. The Calm

**You guys were SO RESPONSIVE to the last (and unfortunately short) chapter I posted, I thought I'd post this one to make up for it :) A niiiice long chapter to make up for the last one ;D**

"We have to land here! We don't need muggles seeing us." Hermione brought the broom lower, Severus' hands wrapped round her waist tightly. The couple fell to their knees upon the moss covered ground, breathing in relief. They had reached England in the early hours of the next dawn without any harm done to them. Hermione started laughing, falling onto her back. She held her stomach as a fit of gut-wrenching laughter overcame her. Severus took her face within his hands, seriousness plaguing his face.

"We can celebrate if we find the virus hasn't reached here. Be reminded that we are extremely low on the Living Death potion. I'd be amazed if we had any left and I didn't bring the ingredients for us to brew another batch." Severus stood, taking the woman's hand within his own. Hermione reclaimed her calm stature as she leaned against the older man, swallowing so hard that Severus could hear it.

"_When_ we find the virus hasn't reached here. I think I know where we are, but we'll be walking for a bit." Hermione smiled at him, raising her hand and pushing a piece of sweaty charcoal black hair behind his ear away from his pale face. She let her hand linger far longer than she should before pulling away and shoving the broom into her charmed bag. The pair cautiously stepped upon the ground, making their way back to civilization. The grip on their wands could not be much tighter the in that moment.

The hours went on from four a.m to eight a.m in a flash for the two, exchanging small talk of how the future would be for Hogwarts and the wizarding world. All was quiet, calm, and simple. Finally, Hermione gasped in relief, running to the road. She began to jump and squeal, happiness filling the entire area.

"I know exactly where we are! Twenty minutes… uh," Hermione looked about while squinting her eyes ", oh, this way! We'll reach my house." Hermione bolted along the road with Severus close behind. Pure adrenalin drove the pair as they ran, strangers in the neighborhood giving them odd stares from the windows of their homes. Hermione waved at the people next door with a wide smile as she would as if it was any ordinary day.

Hell, in the muggle world? It was an ordinary day.

The girl ran to her door, pulling the spare key from the mailbox and shoving it in the key slot. She pulled Severus into her nicely kept home with a soft tug. The smell of _Lemon Pledge_ and Javax filled their noses. Hermione took a deep breath in, a smile that ran from ear to ear ripping her face.

"Mom? Dad? You will not believe what's happened!" Hermione stumbled up her stairs in a rush, shouting for her parents. Severus shut the door, removing his heavy cloak from his shoulders and hanging it upon the coat rack. She ran back down to the main floor, tapping her foot. She showed Severus the kitchen, taking the time to grab the phone. Hermione dialed hastily, beeping running through her mind.

"Hey… Hey mom, where are you?

Oh, I remember now… well, no.

I know I'm supposed to be at school." Hermione rolled her eyes and held the bridge of her nose. She scowled at the phone, the voice of an agitated woman screaming from the other end.

"No, there was something wrong at Hogwarts. A virus broke out, everyone got sick and magic didn't work to reverse it and…

oh, long story short?

Well, my Professor and I are sitting in the kitchen together. We're both fine, but he needs to stay here for a couple of days.

Mkay mom. I love you and tell Dad I love him to! Bye!" Hermione clicked the off button, placing the phone back upon its cradle.

"Where are your parents?" Severus leaned his weary head upon his hand.

"Dentist convention," Hermione shrugged as she scrounged her fridge ", want anything?"

"Dentist convention… how interesting… and I'll have whatever you have or make or whatever." He mumbled, placing his head against the table. Hermione nodded, grabbing some supplies to make sandwiches. Before stacking the delicious meal, she turned on the television conveniently placed within her kitchen, switching to the news. There was no emergency broadcast beep, or talks of an evacuation. Everything was normal in the muggle world, and Hermione was more than thankful for that.

"I can't believe we made it!" Hermione gushed, cutting tomato with the upmost care. Hermione took in the smell of the tomato juice, leaning down and inhaling a few times.

"Me either. Confined in close quarters with people I… _mostly_ don't like." He smiled as he stood, leaning upon the counter across from the working Hermione. He smiled as she built her masterpiece. The way she made a sandwich was like art to him. Her arms tensed, placing each ingredient evenly across the white soft bread.

"If people hadn't started to die so quickly, I'm sure I would've killed a few people in a rage. I like my privacy and I'm claustrophobic." Hermione shook her head, a vain grin upon her.

"You like your privacy? I thought I was the king of privacy around here." Severus shot a saucy look at the young witch, a smirk dancing upon her face. Hermione raised an eyebrow, not lifting her gaze from the masterpiece that was the plate of sandwiches she had been making.

"I was amazed at how well you took teenagers bouncing around your room." Hermione was so distracted by her food that she hadn't noticed Severus slinking around the counter to stand beside her. An innocent silence filled the room, the sound of Severus' heart attempting to break his ribcage the only audible sound.

"You were great with that Living Death potion and makeshift spell. I… appreciate intelligence while under pressure. We might still be stuck there if you hadn't thought of it. Well done."

"Stop lying." Hermione turned to him, sliding the plate his way. He rose a curious eyebrow, avoiding the plate until he learned more. Hermione took a sandwich half, devouring it. The tomato, lettuce, and ham flavors busted within her mouth. Fireworks of flavor, and the chewiness of the bread were the only things that mattered to Hermione for that second, a feeling of fullness genuinely taking over her. The potion Severus had brewed to douse the hunger worked, but nothing really hit the spot. She recovered from the food she had eaten in mere seconds, and wiped her mouth clear.

"Don't be mad," she laughed as a look of dread washed over his face ", but I used the _Legilimens _charm on you while you slept that first night that you let me into your bed. You had already considered the potion and hadn't written it off. So, tell me why you didn't tell us earlier about the idea or I'll use the charm again and wean it out of you." Hermione smiled as she pointed her wand at the sneering Professor. He opened his mouth, then closed it… he pondered, thought, and deduced the exact reason as to why he did it. Severus rose a worn hand with his index finger pointed, and then flexed the rest of his fingers.

Then it happened.

He crashed his lips upon Hermione's, who melted within his arms that wrapped around her. The kiss was feverish and disoriented, hands rubbing each other's backs and force pushing against each other. Severus pressed her into a corner, nipped at her thing pink lips in a frenzy state. Hermione pulled herself up on the counter, wrapping her thing legs around his waist. The young witch took charge, dragging her tongue across his bottom lip in an extremely un-lady like fashion. She growled as he obeyed, exploring each cavern of his mouth. He moaned, leaning until Hermione rested upon her elbows. She gasped and he dragged his tongue down her neck, kissing in between her cleavage. Hermione giggled, bucking her hips softly as she pawed at his back. He pushed up her shirt, trailing kisses down her torso and placed his teeth upon her short button. Severus moved his hands to unbutton, but his stomach defied him and growled louder than any moan Hermione had let past her lips.

"Your body is telling you things." Hermione sat up and patted her shoulder, her pale face flushing. Severus whimpered, kissing her neck once more.

"Yes it is." He growled into her ear, taking her hand and snaking down to his pants. She pushed him lightly, sliding to the other side of the open end counter and jumping off. She grabbed another sandwich half for her, savoring the bread as it became chewing in her mouth.

"Eat. Then come upstairs. First door on the left." She covered her mouth politely with her hand, dashing up the stairs. Severus ate quickly and then stepped quietly up the stairs. He leaned against the doorframe, taking in the site of her room; bright green walls with stuffed animals and white curtains. The queen bed covered in green and white pillows and a bedspread brightened the room, especially since Hermione was laying upon it in a yellow sundress. He shut and locked her bedroom door behind him, sauntering to her bedside.

"It's so good to be home…" Hermione rolled on her bed, patting the spot next to her. Severus crawled on top of the woman, kissing her cheeks softly.

"I couldn't have imagined anything else different for your room…" He mumbled between kisses. Hermione simply nodded, running her hands up his chest to the top of his robes. She took her time, unbuttoning each small black button individually. He laughed, watching her face distort as her fingers began to cramp. He grabbed his wand and dragged it down the line of buttons, undoing them all in a second. Hermione rolled her eyes, pushing the fabric off as she bent her knees to squeeze his hips. She pulled off the white undershirt in mere seconds, raking her hands down his back as she admired him.

Severus straightened his back as Hermione sat up, kissing his pale, toned chest with the gentle touch of a butterfly. He took her hand within his own, trailing it down his chest and to the trail of black hair leading below his pant line. She tugged at it softly, earning a mewl from the man above her. He leaned back down, gripping the yellow fabric.

"I think we should get rid of this." He whispered, kicking off his boots. Hermione complied, sliding the thin article off and throwing it mindlessly on the floor. Severus pressed his body to hers, capturing her lips in a soft and strangely innocent kiss. The heat form her entire body radiated into his body as she slid of his long black pants. He pulled them off, leaving him in his silk, black boxers. Hermione giggled, covering her mouth.

"I've had better reactions." Severus sat up, a twinge of hurt close behind him. Hermione took his shoulders and held him close, still laughing.

"No! No not that. It's just that I remember way back in sixth year, Luna and I had a bet what type of underwear you wore… and I was right! Right down to the colour and fabric, I was right!" Hermione power laughed, covering her mouth and shutting her eyes. He smiled, kissing her forehead. One she stopped laughing, Severus slid back down to where he was before and rested his head upon her pelvic bone. A set of pale hands entwined in his soft, black hair. He looked up at her as he gripped her panties and practically ripped them off. Severus tightly grasped her thighs and Hermione let her hands fall over his.

And the world stood still.

**We're almost done guys :) **

**See you soon!**

**xoxoPN**


	9. The Storm

**This is it guys :) Let me just say it's been a fantastic ride for me, and hopefully for you. Don't be sad though! I have another Hermione/Severus horror story on the drawing board, so keep your eyes open, because I'm far from being done with these to ;D**

Hermione shuffled up the stairs, wearing only Severus' white undershirt and carrying a glass of water. She walked into her moon lit room, seeing her man sitting up in bed waiting for her with wet eyes. She shut the door and locked it once more, walking faster to be with him. He reached his hands out to her in a toddler like fashion, opening them for her to slide into.

"I woke up and you weren't here. I was freaking out. I thought… I t-thought…" He whimpered, holding her close as Hermione slid into their bed. She took the glass and held it to the quivering man's lips, pouring small amounts of water for him. He sipped quietly, stroking Hermione's free hand with a snowflakes touch. Severus placed the water on the bedside table he assumed they now shared.

"I'm here now, babe. I'm just fine." She stroked his hair softly, kissing his forehead.

"I know you are. I'm just having nightmares about-"

"Shh," she placed a thin finger upon Severus' quivering lips ", it's over. The nightmare is all over, Severus." Hermione smiled lifting her remote and turning on the television. They flicked around, not finding anything interesting to watch. They finally decided to watch whatever television movie was on that night, but became distracted by each other. Severus kissed Hermione's nose and forehead and then finally claimed her lips. They entwined hands, finding a break of silence. They held each other, lips not moving from one another.

Hermione straddled her man, kissing his pale skin. She treated him as if he was made of glass with each kiss she place upon him. He trailed his hands down her back and down her creamy thighs. She grinded her hips into her, playing with her hair.

"_**This is an EMERGENCY BROADCAST. This is not a test!**_" Hermione pushed herself away from Severus' suddenly pale form, coughing and sputtering for air. The beeping noise blasted from the television speakers at an unbearably high pitch. One note higher and only the dogs could have heard the piercing noise that ripped through the dead of night. She shook as she threw on her bra, panties, jean shorts, and kept her man's tee-shirt on. She tossed him some clothes he had from her charmed bag. He slipped on his boxers, jeans, and a regular tee-shirt. Any other time, she would have giggled and called it endearing. But as the red flashing light from the television filled the room, nothing was cute. They assumed the worst even before the broadcast started, grabbing their wands and some other important items.

A man with a square jaw and a receding hairline appeared on the television, a red bar streaming the news as it happened across the bottom of the screen. The look upon his face read of fear and helplessness. Hermione could practically smell it through the television, as he spoke with a scratched voice.

"This is an emergency broadcast. It has been reported that a contagious virus has leaked. The virus is bringing the dead form the ground and turning the living into flesh crazed zombies. It's been verified that the virus started in Scotland and has moved over the course of a week to parts of Canada, America, and England. We advise you to lock your doors, board up your windows, and hide in the attic until the military comes and finds you, or until the virus passes. This broadcast will be repeated all night, until electricity is no longer accessible. This is not a test. Thank you, and stay safe." The broadcaster looped over and over while Hermione and Severus scrambled to pack things into her charmed bag. She grabbed the phone of the charger that sat on her bedside table, dialing her mom is a crazes rush.

"Straight to voicemail… Mom? Mom, if you get this... I- I love you. I love you, and I love Daddy so much. Bye Mommy... I hope you're okay." Hermione threw the phone down, panic rushing over her. Severus held her close for a moment, bringing her mind back to reality. Severus looked into her eyes, a thousand words being exchanged between their racing minds. She collected herself, breathing a little faster than normal. She snatched the broom out of her bag and opened her window. They pair hopped out, flying through the night sky.

"We're royally screwed." Hermione flew faster, crying hysterically. Severus squeezed her torso, unsure of what to say. She turned her head slightly, smiling at her partner in crime.

"Just keep your eyes on the sky." Severus told her a moment too late. Hermione flew into her neighbor's chimney, breaking her broom into three pieces. She lost on off the pieces in the trees. They fell towards the ground, using magic to break their fall. Hermione threw the broken wood, panic limiting her word choices. She kicked and punched the brick house, the cracking of her knuckles making Severus squirm.

They stood, walking together closely through the empty, dark roads. The street that was once peaceful was already a wasteland of abandoned cars and switched off street lamps. They were amazed how things could go from normal to total shit storm in a matter of minutes, but that's how humanity panic worked. Humanity hears of terrifying news, and the first (and only) reaction is to panic. The houses on the street had their lights off, and windows semi-boarded. Hermione watched the people on her street scramble, turning off lights and shutting windows and doors. Severus took her hand within his own, walking through the dead silence of the night.

From around the corner, a few zombies stumbled and crawled… hungry as ever. Hermione ripped out her wand with a dramatic flick that attracted the eyes of the dead. The dead jerked their bodies towards the couple, ready to eat. She pushed her wand forward at the zombies, who were screeching. The noise attracted more dead. Before the couple could blink two zombies became eight, eight became sixteen, and sixteen became uncountable as the zombies shambled from the bushes and the boarded houses doors. The smell of the dead had not reached the newly made corpses, but they drenched and reeked of blood and flesh. Severus took a second to ponder how so many zombies and reached the once safe area, but pushed it aside. Who really cares as to how they got her? Survival was the only thing that could matter. Hermione, realizing they didn't have enough time to summon a broom, turned to plan B. She looked at Severus with a nod, standing back to back with him.

"Exhalomortem." Hermione and Severus waved their arm at a designated half circle separated by an invisible line, to make the maximum of their potion. They clamped their free hands together, a layer of sweat forming between them.

They hoped to hit all the zombies, giving them a chance to run. They hoped they could call another broom and stay in the air until they find somewhere safe. They hoped that Hermione's parents would be alive, and they could use magic to conceal themselves underground with them. They hoped the virus would pass, and all could be normal as they lived in their beach house, practicing their dueling and swimming every day.

But not a single trace of potion came out of their wands.

**Thanks for sticking around and reading and following along. It's been a great time. We'll do it again sometime ;)**

**Happy nightmares. XOXO PN**


	10. Happy Ending

**For some reason, I felt some unfinished business with Viral. Like, every time I scrolled past it on my page, something wasn't quite right. So, for those of you who didn't like my ending that insinuated the death of our lovely couple, I thought I'd tie up the loose ends.**

"I have… _no idea_… how we pulled this thing off." Hermione huffed, blood dripping baseball bat clenched in her hands. They reanimated corpses finally lay officially dead upon the surrounding ash fault. Severus palmed his trusty iron rod, draping one arm around Hermione's pale shoulders and walking over the dead bodies.

"You always think ahead. Good idea to put these in that charmed bag of yours. I don't think I've ever been so grateful of a charmed purse."

"Where the hell are we going to go, Severus? Nowhere on this planet is safe." She leaned against him, whispering as to not rouse the dead from their graves.

"We need to stay in the air, but I fear brooms won't be comfortable enough for usage. We need something with a bigger surface area." Severus gripped his wand in his right hand while the rod dangled from his left.

"What can we get, a flying carpet?" Hermione rolled her eyes as she strutted through the dark streets. She felt Severus stop and chuckle in a low voice.

"Flying carpets exsist." Hermione face palmed herself with a deadpan look. Severus nodded, and with a dramatic flick of the wand, a black carpet fell from the sky. Hermione dropped her jaw and extended her arms at the large surface. She stammered for the first moment or so, unsure how to put her racing thoughts into words.

"Why didn't you think of this before?" Hermione made an obnoxious sound, bobbing her head and jutting a hip out.

"Slipped my mind, I assure you or this would have been our first plan of attack. Come now, we can stay in the air and move around until we find a safe zone." Severus spoke so nonchalantly, taking her hand and guiding her onto the soft fabric. The couple flew high into the air and hovered just below a cloud in the moonlight. Hermione's thin sundress blew every which way in the midnight wind, goose bumps appearing over her skin as fast as the virus had spread. Severus removed his cloak and placed it over Hermione's shivering form.

It was in that quiet moment that the events that took place over the past days hit the pair. Every death, every infection, and every time they swung a weapon… it hit them directly in the heart. As the looked at the moon, it hit them that McGonagall was both torn to shreds and strewn about the castle, or one of the walking dead. As they took in the air of the night, they realized that Luna was shambling about the castle walls, looking for brains. As if eating brains would revive her, and make her be alive once more. It was as Hermione and Severus lay back, nothing sexual of romantic of the night that it hit them that Harry, Ron, and Ginny had been torn to pieces.

"Ron… Harry… Ginny… they're all dead. Luna… my parents are probably dead. Ron's family… dead." Hermione whispered.

"Don't think that way, my dear." Severus turned onto his side and stroked the pale face of Hermione. No tears or whimpers… just the mere shock of realization. He poured all the energy of love he stocked into his heart for Lily Evans to Hermione. He was unsure if he would have a chance to give everything to another girl.

"No, Severus. Ron's family, all the teachers, all the students… even Draco's family. They're all dead. The entire world is the ultimate destroya." Hermione mirrored Severus' movement, his large cloak covering the length of her body with ease. She pulled him closer, covering his body as well with the heavy cloak.

"It's unfortunate, but that is the past. We're together, and quite frankly that's all that matters to me right now." Severus held her tightly, planting butterfly kisses all over her face. Her face lightened as time passed, the moon showering them in light. Hermione's realization came to pass through the hours as she found refuge within Severus' arms. The way they lay, hand in hand, reminded him of a simpler time. Yet his love for Lily had receded a long time ago, replaced with everything the young girl beside him had to offer. Despite the night's events, the couple felt spectacular.

"So, any idea on where we can lay low? We need somewhere completely inconspicuous." Hermione snuggled closer to Severus, shutting her eyes for the briefest of moments.

"No clue."

"Then let's just stay her for a while."

Hermione looked at the man beside her with a soft smile that reached her eyes. They did just that… they stayed. The remained suspended in the air for a few days more, finally taking land by the old tree Severus had his usual rendezvous with Lily. It was dead free for now, for it was so secluded.

And when the dead infested that area, they kept moving to another childhood hidey spot.

It became a routine the couple couldn't live without, and quite frankly, neither of them wanted to change the lifestyle they currently pertained.

**Alright… I'm done now. I'm offically done now XD**

**xoxoPN**


	11. Annoying Notification Authors Note!

**For those of you who didn't know, I have a sequel going for Viral.**

_**Viral: Memories Lost and Found**_

**I hope you review that story as much as you have the first Viral!**

**Happy reading and merry nightmares.**

**Xoxo PissyNovelist **


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